Gunsmoke Blues

by Balogun Ojetade

  Seventh Ward, New Year’s Eve, 8:05pm, full moon.

  Dabney Espion had never thought that serial killing could become a fashion, but New Orleans’ murder rate was escalating sharply as more and more copycat killers joined the frenzy. Bodies were turning up everywhere, their butchered, tangled remains found in ditches, on canal paths, even in residential streets.

  Even the Beast had faded from the news reports. There had been no Beast sightings for almost a month and people were saying that it had all been a hoax, or a mass delusion. But Beast or no Beast, the streets of New Orleans were more dangerous than ever, despite the growing number of arrests of suspected or confirmed murderers.

  It wasn’t just New Orleans, or even Louisiana. The killing craze had gone global. Gruesome murders were sweeping the world. The newspapers were going wild, bringing in expert after so-called expert, all with increasingly mad ideas. There was even speculation about some kind of brain-washing cult or a mind-control drug that turned ordinary people into murderous madmen.

  The authorities had responded with tough talk and pledges to make the streets safe again. Dabney found himself out on patrol long hours of the day and night. An additional five hundred armed constables had been deployed to bolster law-enforcement’s power. More arrests had been made, but still the murders continued like an unstoppable flood.

  Vigilante groups had formed in response to the wave of killings. Protests had become violent, residents of the Tremé had been attacked, and arrests made in response, but the murders continued unabated.

  The long hours were taking their toll on Dabney. He longed to be at home with his wife and daughter instead of out on the streets yet another night. But the public needed to feel that the authorities still remained in control. New Year’s Eve would be an important test, with celebrations under way and hundreds of thousands expected to turn out onto the streets of America.

  He could have used Ida’s reassuring company, but she hadn’t showed up at work since Christmas Eve. Dabney had tried to visit her, but had only managed to get a few words out of some shady character who claimed to be her father. He just hoped she was okay.

  That evening he was patrolling his home turf of Seventh Ward. Some minor vigilante violence had rocked the area the previous night, and a strong show of force was being mounted to prevent any escalation.

  White vigilantes were becoming almost as much of a problem as the killings. Groups of young men had seized the opportunity to protest against Negro residents of the Tremé. As far as Dabney was concerned it was just an excuse for violence. While several Negroes had been arrested for murder, not all of the men held were black-skinned. The so-called vigilantes were largely white thugs looking for trouble—the same trouble throughout the other big cities in the South that New Orleans had remained so different from. He just hoped there wouldn’t be any trouble New Year’s Eve night.

  While he waited, he thought of Iris and Lenore and his unborn child, and he remembered the promise he had made to keep them safe. Keeping that promise started there, on that night. Order had to be maintained on the streets, or they would be safe for no one.

  A familiar female voice startled him. “Hey, Dabney. Stop daydreaming. You’re supposed to be on duty.”

  He turned to greet her. “Ida! What are you doing here?”

  “What does it look like? I’m a Black Dispatch. I’m needed on the streets.”

  At first he felt a strong surge of relief to see her. “It’s good to have you back on board,” he said. But then he paused to study her more closely. To him, she still looked sick. Her inflamed nose and yellow-tinted eyes looked dreadful against her ashen skin. “You look like you ought to be tucked up in bed.”

  “I’ve done enough of that,” Ida said. “Now tell me what I’ve missed, and let’s get on with the job.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

  Lafitte Terrace, New Orleans, New Year’s Eve, 9:15pm, full moon.

  The Sardis family was in the habit of staying home on New Year’s Eve. In recent years, Anton had been allowed to stay up late with his older sister, Garcelle, to celebrate with some eggnog as they watched the fireworks. Anton loved to watch the fireworks at midnight from their front porch. It was one of the most impressive displays in the world.

  This evening there had already been fireworks when Garcelle announced that she intended to go out with friends. Her parents had argued with her, saying it wasn’t safe, but in the end Garcelle had gotten her way. She always did.

  “You can’t let her go out on her own,” Smokey told Anton.

  “What do you mean? She won’t be on her own. She’s meeting her friends.”

  “Yeah,” Smokey said. “But they’re just girls. You’re her brother. You should be around to protect her.”

  “Protect her from what?”

  Smokey rolled his eyes. “Oh, I dunno. Like, cannibals, serial killers, Beasts, all kinds of maniacs.”

  “I don’t know,” Anton said. “Mama and Daddy will kill me if I go out, too. And Garcelle won’t want me with her and her friends.”

  “Never mind that,” Smokey said. “We’ll go together, you and me, and follow them at a distance. Just to make sure they’re safe.”

  Anton should never have allowed Smokey to talk him into it. The real reason Smokey wanted to follow Garcelle around was because he fancied her. Although Garcelle was two years older than Smokey and ignored him completely, Smokey just couldn’t take his eyes off her.

  Garcelle’s big dark eyes, long black hair, and smooth mahogany skin made her a beauty, for sure. But she was Anton’s sister. Thinking about her in that way was totally gross. And Smokey thinking such thoughts—or worse—made him feel ill. If Garcelle needed protection from anything, it was from Smokey’s lust.

  At least Smokey had moved back home with his mother and her boyfriend. After Mr. Howard had been taken away by the constables, the school board had made the decision to close the school until after Christmas. It meant they’d been given an extra-long Christmas break, and it also took away any reason for Smokey to continue staying at Anton’s house—if there had ever been a real reason in the first place.

  Thankfully it also meant that Anton no longer needed to skip school and lie about it to his parents. And best of all it had stopped Smokey from following Garcelle’s every move around the house with his stupid puppy-dog eyes.

  But now the New Year’s Eve thing had kicked off, and Anton didn’t know how to get out of it. “All right,” he said eventually. I’ll see if Ava wants to come too.” If Ava was with them, it might make it easier to keep Smokey under control. But Anton knew that wasn’t the real reason he wanted Ava to be there. The past few weeks he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her. Her freckled skin haunted his dreams at night. He couldn’t deny it—he was in love, just as Smokey had fallen for Garcelle. And if following his sister around town meant he could be with Ava, he would do it.

  He wondered if Smokey suspected the truth, but his friend gave no indication that he knew how Anton felt about Ava. He was too focused on his own love life to notice anything else. “I’ll meet you at nine o’clock,” Smokey told him. “We’ll follow Garcelle and her friends into town, and make sure she’s safe.”

  “Do you know how mad you sound?” Anton said. “Since when did you become a creeper?”

  “It’s the honorable thing to do,” Smokey insisted. “Any brother who really cared for his sister would do the same.”

  As soon as Smokey had left, Anton went to see Ava. It was good to see her and hear her voice again.

  “You’re going to do what?” she asked, once he’d explained the situation.

  “I know it’s strange, but Smokey insisted.”

  “Are you really worried that something will happen to your sister?”

  “Not really. I’m more worried about what Smokey might do. But he made me promise to go with him.” He paused, considering his next words carefully. “I don’t suppose your parents will want you to go out after… after everything t
hat’s happened.” He still couldn’t get over the fact that Ava had stabbed the Principal with the chalk. She was so much braver than him. She was amazing.

  Ava hesitated before responding. “If I ask them, they’ll probably say no,” she agreed.

  “Yeah,” Anton said, unable to conceal his disappointment. “That’s what I thought.”

  “But if I don’t ask them, they can’t say anything,” she said, smiling.

  So now here they were sneaking out into town, the three of them following Anton’s sister and her girlfriends as they went from tavern to tavern along the streets of New Orleans. It wouldn’t have been Anton’s first choice of activity for a night out with Ava, but she seemed to think it was a great adventure. She giggled loudly and Smokey scowled at her, telling her to be quiet. Anton tried to relax and enjoy himself. He just prayed that Garcelle wouldn’t spot them, and that Smokey wouldn’t try anything stupid.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

  The Crescent City Bone Marrow Center, New Year’s Eve, 10:10pm, full moon.

  The nurse at the Blood Clinic was called Dawn. Robert liked her immediately. She was a tiny woman, but with strong and practiced hands. She pushed a needle into Robert’s finger efficiently and almost painlessly. Robert’s nostrils flared as he smelled the faint aroma of the blood. After almost a month without feeding, even the scent of his own vital fluid flowing into the syringe had the power to rouse his hunger, making his anticipation of the night’s hunt grow to a new height.

  The nurse chatted with him as she took the sample for screening, explaining that the clinic was open later than usual that night. They expected it to be one of the busiest nights in New Orleans’ hospitals. With all the recent trouble, blood supplies were desperately needed. Just a single day’s supply remained of the rarest blood groups.

  Robert nodded and watched as the nurse withdrew the needle and applied a gauze pad to his finger.

  Virginia and the nurse seemed well acquainted with each other already. “Hello again, Dawn,” she said when she saw the nurse.

  “Back again so soon?” she asked.

  Virginia grinned. “I couldn’t stay away, Dawn. We’re blood sisters, now.”

  The nurse raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? Well, I’m glad to see you again. O Negative is in urgent demand. This blood will go directly to the operating theatre.”

  Robert had never given blood before and still wasn’t sure that he wanted to. “Won’t it weaken us before we go hunting?” he asked Virginia, as they waited for their results.

  “Nah,” Virginia said. “It’ll give us a healthy appetite.” She smiled. “You shouldn’t be afraid of needles after spending all that time in Intensive Care.”

  “I’m not afraid,” Robert said. “I just haven’t done it before.”

  “I bet you’ve tried lots of new things these past few weeks,” Virginia teased. “Don’t tell me you haven’t enjoyed them.”

  Robert blushed.

  Since becoming a croc-kin and meeting Virginia, his life had changed beyond all recognition. Everything was new. Everything was bright. Every moment he spent with Virginia stretched out like a blissful eternity. Everything they did together felt like the first time.

  They’d been shopping together that afternoon in the Faubourg Marigny area of New Orleans, and Robert had never enjoyed shopping so much. He’d bought clothes he wouldn’t have dared choose himself. Virginia had a sharp and adventurous eye for fashion, and by the time they’d finished, Robert was so sharp he hardly recognized himself.

  “What about the money, though?” he’d asked. “How are we going to pay for all this?”

  Virginia had dismissed his concerns with a wave. “Money’s no problem now, Robert. We have more than enough.”

  “But how? Where did you get it from?”

  “Mary. She has enough money for all of us. And in any case, I have a feeling that money isn’t going to be important in the future.”

  They had talked about that future often enough during the weeks they had spent together. Robert found it hard to imagine, but Mary had a vision of a world where all weakness and suffering would be swept aside. Those who inhabited that bright future would be strong and resilient.

  Virginia had a vision of her own—a vision of a more equal society, where black and white and red and Creole would live together in harmony. Robert didn’t fully understand Mary’s vision, and wasn’t particularly seeking to live in harmony with white folks, but he hoped, with all his heart, both women would make their visions a reality.

  The meeting with Mary and the Axeman that afternoon had left him anxious, though. Can we count on you, Robert? He didn’t know what she had meant by that. Count on him for what? He still didn’t understand her hostility toward him. He understood Mose’s antagonism easily enough. That was all about power. Virginia had defied Mose’s authority by bringing Robert to the house, and Mose hated to be challenged. But Mary? Robert had never done anything to make her so antagonistic. Except… that time he’d first turned, he’d savaged all those people at the omnibus station, and Mary had been furious afterward. It didn’t seem to occur to her that she and the others regularly went out killing.

  Double standards, Robert thought.

  Reverend Clark had sent Robert on his journey into the wilderness, and now he had become Mary’s scapegoat. It was a small price to pay to be with Virginia. And he would try to be more careful later that night. When the blood lust came, he would keep it under control.

  “Good news,” Dawn said, returning with the test results. You’re both cleared to donate. “Who wants to go first?”

  “Me,” Robert said, standing up. “I’ll go first.”

  The procedure wasn’t as painful as he’d imagined. As Virginia had said, after all the time he’d spent in the hospital, giving blood felt like little more than a mosquito bite. He didn’t even feel weak afterward. “Please, take more,” he told Dawn. “I want to help as many people as I can.”

  “Hey, easy, there,” she said, swabbing the place on his arm where the needle had been. “One pint is plenty, thank you very much. You’ll end up in the hospital yourself if I take any more. You can come back in a few months if you want to donate again.”

  “Thanks,” Robert said. “I will.”

  “I think you’ve missed the point, Robert,” Virginia said on the way out. “Mary’s plan isn’t to cure people by donating blood; it’s to accelerate the spread of our condition.”

  “Oh, I know that,” Robert said. “But if we can help people too, shouldn’t we try to do that?”

  Virginia slung an arm casually over Robert’s shoulder. “That’s what I love about you, Robert. You’re so sentimental. I do believe you don’t have an uncaring bone in your whole body.”

  The New Year’s celebrations were already well underway when they left the clinic at eleven o’clock. Party-goers and revelers streamed through the streets. They flocked toward the taverns, clubs and brothels in search of fun, in anticipation of the midnight fireworks. Constables walked about, watching carefully for trouble. There were a few other rat-kin, too, cloaked in human form, but revealing themselves to Robert by their scent.

  Also among them were vigilantes—groups of young white men, their heads covered by dark hoods, their faces hidden by masks.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

  St. Bernard Avenue, Seventh Ward, New Year’s Eve, 11:10pm, full moon.

  Anton, Smokey and Ava watched as Garcelle and her friends disappeared into one of the noisiest taverns in Seventh Ward. Loud music blared from the place, and the street outside thronged with people, young and old, many of them already buzzed, and some even sloppy drunk. A group of cigar smokers stood immediately outside the entrance to the tavern, breathing their poisonous fumes defiantly into the cold night air.

  Anton hesitated as Smokey tried to drag him inside. “I’ve never been inside a tavern before.” He hated the idea that Garcelle and her friends had disobeyed their parents’ wishes. The tavern seemed to contain all the vices he
had been taught to avoid—alcohol, tobacco, and idle people who wasted their time smoking and drinking.

  “Shut up,” Smokey hissed. “Keep your voice down. It’s just a place to hang out and get a drink. Anyway, Garcelle’s inside, so we have to go in.” He pushed open the door and went inside. Ava went with him.

  Reluctantly, Anton followed.

  Crowds of people packed the tavern, all talking loudly over each other, making the worst din Anton had ever heard. Everyone seemed to be taller than him, and he only just caught sight of Smokey and Ava before they disappeared into the wall of people before him. His spectacles were steaming up after coming in from the cold, and he struggled to see clearly. There was no sign of Garcelle anywhere. He pushed his way through the crowd, fearing getting lost in there on his own.

  A man spilled beer over Anton’s jacket and seemed to think it was his fault. Anton slipped quickly away from him in case the man became aggressive. The bitter stench of beer on his jacket made him wrinkle his nose in disgust.

  He caught up with the others near the bar.

  “Let’s get a beer,” Smokey said.

  “What?” Anton shouted. The noise inside the tavern made ordinary speech impossible.

  “I said, let’s get a beer.”

  “No. I don’t want anything.”

  “Just a ginger beer for me, please,” Ava said.

  “Come on, y’all, it’s New Year’s Eve,” Smokey said. “Live a bit. You only live once.”

  “That’s what you think,” Anton said. “I heard that Marie Laveau has reincarnated at least twice and is still doing her work around here.”

  Smokey scowled. “All right then, just some ginger beer instead.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

  St. Bernard Avenue, Seventh Ward, New Year’s Eve, 11:17pm, full moon.

  The Axeman had given careful thought to the best location for the Rat Brothers’ first hunt. They needed to be cautious. Heavily armed constables now patrolled the omnibus stations and key public spaces, and it would be folly, even for a gang of rat-kin, to risk getting shot, especially the first time they changed. At the same time, the public had become wary since the Ripper and Beast killings had begun. Parks and open spaces were deserted at night, with people staying clear between dusk and dawn.